


The Rise of Heroes

by idrilhadhafang



Series: Ben Never Fell Verse [1]
Category: Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ben Solo Doesn't Turn to the Dark Side, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Poe Dameron/Ben Solo, Fix-It, Fluff, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force-Sensitive Poe Dameron, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Resistance Member Ben Solo, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-24
Packaged: 2021-03-26 03:08:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30099390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: In a universe where Luke Skywalker remembers to turn off his lightsaber after resisting killing Ben, Ben joins the Resistance — and has to deal with his feelings for his friend Poe Dameron.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Ben Solo, Poe Dameron/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Ben Never Fell Verse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2214771
Kudos: 4
Collections: Bad Day Collection





	1. The Legendary Heroes

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Author’s Notes: Call it listening to music that jarred this idea free.

The Grimtaash all but rumbled through hyperspace, the swirling blue spirals seeming to all but surround the ship even as Ben Solo struggled to get to sleep. Ben knew that he was, logically, safe onboard the ship, that the Voice (Snoke, he knew now) was gone. 

But images of the fire still seemed all but engraved behind his eyelids. Engraved there, like they were permanently burned there. The Academy, everything that he’d ever worked for going up in (quite literal) flames. 

Even lying awake, listening to Grogu’s whistling snores, Voe, Tai and Hennix debating as to what was going to happen now (who knew what was going to happen?), BB-8 and GeeGee puttering about the ship...Ben knew he needed to see Poe. 

There was something about the nightmares that Ben was having where losing Poe seemed to be one of the worst parts to come out of it. Him, being on some sort of torture rack, arching in pain, screaming...

It was a relief, Ben thought, to be awake and realize that he was okay.

To realize that he was safe. 

***

Poe’s feet padded across the floor, letting Ben know that he was here. That he was okay. He had changed, Ben noticed, changed into pajamas that were loose-fitting, comfortable-looking. Ben was struck most of all by his messy hair and the shadows under his eyes. 

“You could have died,” Poe said, softly. “You honestly could have died, Ben.”

”What do you mean?” It was odd, admittedly, seeing Uncle Luke in Ben’s hut looking like he’d come out of a trance, but it wasn’t like his lightsaber was on. He wasn’t trying to kill Ben. Ben couldn’t imagine him doing it, at least. Uncle Luke wouldn’t hurt him. 

“Just having nightmares,” Poe said. “About the fire. It was a good thing everyone got out in time.”

Ben nodded. He shuddered to think what would have happened if they hadn’t.

”You could...stay a while.” It struck Ben as to how intimate it all seemed, asking Poe to stay in his room. But it wasn’t like it would necessarily mean anything. It was just a friend helping another friend. 

Friend. Because Ben knew that there was no way that Poe could fall in love with someone like him. 

“That’d be nice.” Then, “It’s not weird, is it? The fact that there’s only one bed?”

Ben shook his head. “It’s fine.”

They were grown men, after all. Grown, mature men. They could handle this situation if they could. 

***

The problem was that with Poe so close to him, Ben wanted it to stay that way. Even watching him, watching him sleep, Ben couldn’t help but notice just how lovely he looked while he slept. Well, Poe was beautiful always. Beautiful when he was laughing, beautiful when he was passionate about something, from X-wings to protecting people...

But Poe sleeping only brought a new dimension to the whole thing. Knowing that Poe was here with him, safe, and that Ben would do anything to protect someone who wasn’t really that common in a day and age like this. 

Ben, idly, traced a line down Poe’s shoulder, watching how secure he seemed, and knowing that he was blessed by the Force just to have Poe.

”Keep him safe,” he murmured to the Force. “Watch over him, no matter what.”

That, at least, was a promise the Force could keep. 


	2. Landing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Resistance makes a startling discovery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Author’s Notes: Thank you to everyone who has kudosed and read so far!

It was when Ben woke up from a nightmare about Voe, Tai and Hennix dying (him killing Voe. For all their differences, he never would have wanted Voe dead) that the beeping of the Grimtaash’s console as it approached the place where the Resistance base was entered his ears. He stirred, and Poe stirred. 

“Huh?” Poe murmured. “Did I miss something? Did we just reach the Base?”

”Looks like it,” Ben said. 

Poe nodded. “It’s weird,” he said, “But I could have sworn I heard something...from you, I mean.”

 _From me_. How was that possible? It wasn’t like Poe was Force Sensitive. Not that Ben was aware of, at least. It was just an additional problem on top of the nightmare swirling in his skull. 

"We...we can probably talk about this when we see Mom and Dad,” Ben said. “Really."

He couldn’t help but wonder what it meant — what it meant for all of them. 

***

The Grimtaash landed on D’Qar, even as the guards waved it in, and as Ben got out of the ship, he took in the open skies of D’Qar, the blue expanse of it. This was his new reality. This was his new life. There was something about the fact that everything was changing and he couldn’t stop it that scared him. 

It wasn’t like he was particularly fond of the Academy. Not really. But the fact that his life had been so abruptly upended was enough to make him wonder what he was going to do with himself. What was his mission?

He felt Poe’s hand squeeze his shoulder, and there was something about that that steadied him, at least for a moment. He turned to Poe, smiled. 

Even as they walked towards the base, Ben took in every detail. The people working on their X-wings, the other ships docking, and Dad, coming out if only to make sure Ben was all right. 

“Ben!” Han exclaimed. “Thank the Force you’re here. When I heard about what happened to the Academy, I feared the worst.”

”I’m okay, Dad.” Ben didn’t resist even as Han hugged him, even as he buried his face in Han’s shirt, feeling like he had come home even as a stranger in a strange land. 

***

They entered the Base on D’Qar. Leia also embraced Ben — Ben felt like he was being bounced between different variations of “Thank the stars you’re okay!” from all his extended family members who’d showed up. Except for Din, who, after greeting Ben, went to see Grogu and express his relief Grogu was unharmed, as Grogu cooed happily. 

Leia turned to Ben in that moment. “Ben...I’m sorry you lost the Academy,” she said softly. 

“It’s okay,” Ben said. It wasn’t okay, but it was enough to give him a sort of stability in the midst of his galaxy ending. “Mom...Poe has something to tell you.”

Poe did. Leia’s eyes widened. 

“That’s odd,” she said. “Some Force Sensitives can sense...impressions from other people. Like their dreams.”

”You’re saying I’m Force Sensitive?” Poe, too, looked like he had been dropped into a world that he could hardly understand.

”Basically,” Leia said. “It might have been a side-effect of growing up with that Force Sensitive tree on Yavin. Being in such close proximity to it. I don’t think either of your parents knew that you would pick up any...side-effects.” Then, “Ben always did have an ability to form Force Bonds with people, but that doesn’t explain how you were able to pick up on his thoughts, if that’s what you’re saying.”

”Multiple Force Bonds are possible,” Luke said. “Arawn Sinn, the Jedi Exile, was one example of this. When I learned of it and your mother learned of it, Ben...we did fear for you. We did fear that you would be misunderstood.”

Ben swallowed. “Like the Masters who tried stripping the Force from Arawn.”

”They were afraid,” Leia said. “We feared...others would be afraid too."

”So, what do we do with this?” Poe said. “I mean, if I’m Force Sensitive, if I have the potential to have a Force Bond with Ben...shouldn’t we do something?”

Leia nodded.

***

”I’m going to take your blood,” Luke said. “We’ll have to see your midichlorian count.”

”So, basically, bacteria amounts are enough to tell me how strong I am in the Force?” Poe said. 

Luke sighed. “Not...quite like that. Personally, I don’t like these tests; they seem very elitist, but the Jedi found them handy for finding out who was Force Sensitive and who wasn’t.”

Ben squeezed Poe’s free hand. It was a good thing, Poe thought, that he had Ben here. It wasn’t like Poe was scared of needles or anything like that, but this was potentially life-changing. Twenty-six and just now learning that he was Force Sensitive, or could have a Force Bond with Ben...

It was terrifying and exciting all at once. And, well, if Poe was to be bonded to anyone, being bonded to Ben wasn’t that bad. 

A prick of the needle, and Poe winced. Luke wrapped Poe’s index finger in a bandage, before saying, “I’m going to send your blood sample over to Leia.”

”I guess it’s a good thing he didn’t use a tube,” Ben muttered. 

Luke shot him a look. 

“What?” Ben said. “Most beings hate seeing their own blood.”

”That is true enough,” Luke said. “I think you and Poe should unpack your things.”

***

Upstairs was Ben’s room. Just next to Poe’s. Ben wondered if his mother had done it on purpose to give them a greater sense of ease and belonging. It felt, in that moment, like Ben was getting used to his new reality, like he had thirteen years ago when he’d come to the Academy. 

Was this his new reality? Being shuffled from place to place, running scared?

Ben flopped on his bed after unpacking, before searching on his datapad for information regarding Force Bonds...at least until his eyelids got heavy. 


End file.
